REPORT - 2022 Geelong Revival Motoring Festival
Words and Photos: Mike Ryan, Geelong Revival, Caprice Photography
The annual Geelong Revival Motoring Festival turned into a biannual affair in 2022, due to a unique set of circumstances that saw the 2021 event postponed to March of ’22. After consultation between the event organisers and key stakeholders, including the City of Greater Geelong council, it was decided to run a second event in the traditional November slot, leading to a double dose of Revival action in 2022!
An estimated 50,000 spectators attended the second Geelong Revival Motoring Festival on 26-27 November and experienced a variety of motoring-themed events, displays and entertainment.
“Given it was the event’s second time around the block this year, it was our goal to put on something a bit different and I think our on-track entertainment was a real showcase of that,” said Nicholas Heath, Event Director.
“We were blessed with pleasant weather, making for an incredible atmosphere and great crowds across the weekend.”
The quarter mile sprints, conducted along Ritchie Boulevard on the Geelong waterfront, are the prime attraction at the Geelong Revival and featured vintage and veteran vehicles, post war classics, dedicated track and competition cars, open wheelers and modern sportscars for the November event.
Also in action on the public road sprint course this past November were electric vehicles, reflecting the growing adoption of EVs in the Australian market.
EVs – both two and four wheel types – were on display along the Eastern Beach foreshore, too, with the ‘Electric Evolution’ display proving popular with Revival attendees looking to find out more about what zero emission cars can offer and the advantages of going electric.
The ‘Shannons Classic Motorshow’ static display wasn’t just EVs, though, with all manner of new and old cars on show, from veterans to the latest supercars from Porsche Centre Melbourne.
There were big displays from the Mustang Owners Club of Victoria, Falcon GT Club of Geelong, Bay City Chryslers and other clubs, as well as themed displays for panel vans and the ‘Big Wheels 4x4 and Truck’ display, while the ‘Motorcycle Mecca’ offered a dedicated display space for motorcycles.
Across the sprints and displays, there were more than 1,100 vehicles present at the November event, with good crowds wandering through the display vehicles and lining the grass bank of Ritchie Boulevard to catch the sprints each day.
Matt Attack
An additional attraction at November's Geelong Revival - and the extra on-track entertainment that Heath was referring to - was Matt Mingay and the Hot Wheels stunt team, who stole the show with motorcycle stunts, skids and ramp jumps in the Hot Wheels trophy truck that were a crowd favourite.
In the pit area for sprint competitors, the Hot Wheels Truck had play tables, video games and colouring-in stations that were a big hit with kids.
Along with the sprints, static displays and Matt Mingay Hot Wheels stunt team, other attractions at November’s Geelong Revival included a trade expo, food stalls live music and the National Vintage Fashion Awards, making for a big family day out.
Sprint Stars
The sprints are the prime attraction at the Geelong Revival and there is some competition amongst entrants to take the the top times each day, which for the November event were as follows:-
Saturday, 26 November
Nick De Jong – Class K, All Wheel Drive Over 4001cc |2007 Ford Territory| 10.36 seconds (Motorcar) Michael Smith – Superstock Modern Category |2014 Honda CBR1000RR| 10.42 seconds (Motorcycle)
Sunday, 27 November
Nick McBride – Class 19 Open & Invited |Porsche Taycan Turbo S|10.61 seconds (Motorcar) Michael Smith – Superstock Modern Category |2014 Honda CBR1000RR| 10.39 seconds (Motorcycle)
For the full list of sprint times, along with more details and updates on the 2023 Geelong Revival Motoring Festival, go to: geelongrevival.com.au
